This has been a banner year for Her Majesty. After two royal weddings and several successful tours, she now looks forward to her Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

Throughout the year, many events kept Her Majesty busy. We take a look back at 2011 in review:

January

10th: Singer Charlotte Church apologizes for referring to the Queen as ‘an old woman [who] has no idea what’s going on’. The Queen, who at almost 85 is one of the most experienced leaders in the world, wasn’t bothered in the slightest. People begin asking, “Charlotte who? Casiraghi?”

February

24th: Official visit to Wales by Prince William to introduce his fiancée and future Queen consort, Catherine Middleton.

March

17th -18th: Prince William undertakes an official visit to New Zealand, representing The Queen.

19th -21st: Prince William continues on an official visit to Australia.

April

21st: The Queen turns 85.

23rd: The christening of Savannah Phillips, Elizabeth’s first great-grandchild.

29th: Her grandson and eventual heir, Prince William, marries Catherine. They become the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

May

3rd – 5th: The Prince of Wales represents Her Majesty on a visit to the United States.

17th – 20th: State Visit to Ireland by The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh.

24th – 26th: State Visit from the President of the United States and Mrs. Obama. The President and First Lady also meet with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

June

2nd: The 58th anniversary of Her Majesty’s coronation.

10th: Prince Philip celebrates his 90th birthday.

11th: Her Majesty’s official birthday and Trooping the Color.

30th: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge begin their extensive tour of Canada, representing the Queen.

July

1st – 8th: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge continue their Canadian tour, with a brief stop in Los Angeles, California in the USA.

11th: The year was darkened by the loss of a lovely man. The Queen’s first cousin, Lord Harewood, dies at age 88.

15th: Iranian media was caught publishing fake stories about an anti-monarchy uprising in the UK. The Guardian reports that the press for the Islamic regime used photos of the miners’ strike of 1984, a bloodied man who was involved in a football skirmish in 2010, among others, to pretend that there were anti-monarchy riots across Britain.

September

12th: The BBC presents The Queen’s Palaces, a three-part landmark television series hosted by Fiona Bruce.

October

19th – 29th: The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh tour Australia. A protocol controversy brews upon being met at the airport by Prime Minister Julia Gellard, who bowed instead of curtseying. The rest of the tour is a smashing success.

November

2nd: Working visit to Copenhagen by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. They meet with Crown Prince Frederik and his wife, Crown Princess Mary.

22nd – 24th: The President of the Republic of Turkey and Mrs. Gül paid a State Visit to the UK as the guests of Queen Elizabeth II.

December

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh host one of the largest royal gatherings at Sandringham in years. A brief scare ensues when Prince Philip suffers chest pains and is taken to a nearby hospital. The Duke turns out to be fine, but requires a stent to open a blocked coronary artery.

This brilliant film won the Academy Award® for Best Picture, Best Actor (Colin Firth as the King), Best Supporting Actress (Helena Bonham Carter as Queen Elizabeth), and Best Director (Tom Hooper).

When I saw this movie in February, I was deeply impressed. Upon returning home I instantly wrote a review. The film deftly chronicled King George’s personal difficulties in such an eloquent way that I wondered how anything could top it.

I have been looking forward to its release on DVD, as I know many of you have been! Please follow the link to Amazon below to purchase your copy today!

Today I review the 3-DVD set of Fall of the British Empire. It is a riveting documentary beginning with the funeral of Queen-Empress Victoria, covering all the major events and players – Nehru, Mountbatten, Gandhi, and more. [Click here to go to RoyaltyNow!]

The far-reaching political and cultural might of the Sceptered Isle is embodied in this documentary. Vintage Movietone News footage reveals the pageantry and magic that was, as well as the players of the worldwide drama that shaped nations and events.